Partick Thistle physiotherapist Kenny Crichton will ensure that the Firhill players are in tip-top condition to beat Queen of the South on Sunday even if it means that he will be breaking the heart of his Doonhamer daughter.
Crichton was with the Palmerston men for six years and fell in love with the team and Dumfriesshire and daughter Maisie is now a fan of Allan Johnston’s side and the 6-year-old has told her dad that the game should be a draw, everyone should score their penalties so either Hibs or Scotland can lift The Ramsdens Cup.
Crichton talked through his family dilemma saying: “I joined Queen of the South in 2000 when John Connolly took me there and I worked with a few Managers in my time with Iain Scott, Stuart Lovell and then Ian McCall all having times in charge.”
“I had joined Queens after working with Tow Law Town who made it all the way to the 1998 FA Vase Trophy Final and won a few trophies. My reputation grew in the area and teams like Gretna and Blyth Spartans starting sending players to me.”
There was success when Crichton was at Palmerston as he explained: “I was there when Queens won the Second Division Championship in season 2001/02 and also lifted the Challenge Cup at Broadwood in the same calendar year but the following season when John O’Neill and Derek Lyle scored. I am sure Derek will have been telling everyone about that goal in the build-up to this game.”
Crichton remembers the players well from that Cup Final saying: “It was a fantastic team with Andy Goram in goals and big personalities like Jim Thomson, Eric Paton, Paddy Atkinson, Derek Anderson and Steve Bowey in it. We deserved to beat Brechin 2-0 that day.”
There was a parting of the ways in 2006 with Crichton saying: “I left to join Gretna which was a really unpopular move at the time but they were doubling my salary and my wife and I had just had Maisie so priorities had changed.”
Relationships also changed as Crichton explained: “We lived in Thornhill at the time and people could not do enough for us when we were there. They would come to the door to see if we needed anything and it was fantastic as I was new to the area and my wife had moved up from England.
“That changed when I went to Gretna to such an extent that people started doing horrible things.”
Crichton continued: “I went to Gretna just after their Scottish Cup Final appearance against Hearts and was with them as they won the First Division title up at Ross County. That was the day when James Grady scored that late goal that broke St. Johnstone hearts.”
“I was with them as they played in Europe as well against Derry City but as everyone knows things went very wrong there.”
Crichton moved on as he explained: “I left and I ended up at Falkirk with John Hughes where I was part of his backroom team that made it to the Scottish Cup Final in 2009. When he left for Hibs shortly afterwards I was all set to join him there but the Hibs Board decided otherwise and that was that.”
“I had the chance to work with Ian McCall again at Thistle before I went to Falkirk but I turned it down as Falkirk were in the SPL at the time. They had a really experienced team with Jackie McNamara there as well as Neil McCann and Russell Latapy and as well as the Cup Final we stayed up on the last day up at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and reached the semi-final of the CIS Cup where we lost to Falkirk.”
McCall and Crichton eventually paired up again at Firhill with the physio saying: “I eventually joined Ian at Thistle and I have been here ever since. I have seen a lot of changes during that time and none more so in the terms of management style.”
“Ian would dominate things because he was such a strong character and could sometimes make people stop dead in their tracks with just one look. Jackie and now Alan Archibald are different in that they tend to go for a softer approach than Ian did.”
“However of course that may just be me as I am older than these guys and much more experienced in what I am doing.”
Crichton added: “One thing that has remained the same is that Firhill has always been a busy and vibrant place. It is a very traditional football club but it also has a real freshness about it.”
“I am originally from Edinburgh and had also looked upon Partick as a nice club, a cuddly toy type of club that were not really expected to win anything. It would be nice if they did well but winning was not necessarily that important. Hopefully we have shaken that tag off and to be honest it is an honour and a privilege to be here.”
His love of Thistle matches his love for Sunday’s other finalists as Crichton said: “I loved my time at Queen of the South as they were the first senior club I worked with. I did not only work with the players as I undertook the Commercial Manager role, Community Manager role as well as doing some Youth work. I feel that I made a real connection with the people of the area.”
That connection remains with Crichton’s 6 year old daughter Maisie and the proud dad said: “Maisie was born in Dumfries and she is very much a Doonhamer. She is only 6 but she will be coming along to the game however she is hoping for a draw.”
I asked her if it was drawn who would she like to win on penalties and she said that everyone could score and that way it would be a draw. I explained that couldn’t happen and she said then well give the Cup to Hibs and Scotland and that way she would be happy and so would her Daddy.”
Maisie will be there for the game with Crichton adding: “She is going with a party of 16 to the Final and it is their biggest outing since the Scottish Cup Final of 2008 against Rangers. Like Maisie they all want Queen’s to win.”
The 2008 Final showed that Crichton had been forgiven by the club for moving to Gretna as he explained: “I was invited to the Queen of the South team hotel ahead of that game by one of their Directors Keith Houliston and that was a tremendous honour. It was a very special day and for a provincial club to head to Hampden in the manner they did was terrific.”
“Keith died not long after that and it was an honour for both myself and one of the players Sean O’Connor to be asked to help carry his coffin.”
Crichton added: “I am sure when people understood my circumstances they knew why I went to Gretna and I think they appreciated the fact that I never hid. I would pay myself into Palmerston when I could and I stood on the terracing to watch Queen’s I am originally from Edinburgh and followed Hibs but by nailing my colours to the Palmerston mast has been great.”
“I am still a Queen of the South man and was delighted that they won the Second Division in such style but I hope that Thistle win this weekend. I know Maisie will be disappointed but Thistle have put so much into this season they deserve a lot from it.”
Crichton finished by saying: “If Thistle don’t win it I am glad that Queen of the South do although Hibs and Scotland winning it sounds pretty good as well.”
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